Workout of the Week- 1 on 1 Contain No Hands

This week’s drill is a fantastic, but challenging, defensive and offensive drill you can use in individual workouts of at least two players, or with your team.

Start with two players on the baseline. One player is on offense who starts out of bounds on the baseline facing the other end of the floor. The other player is on defense and should be facing the offensive player.

The defensive player should not be too close as to get blown with one dribble, but also shouldn’t be too far away either. An approximate two arms-length distance is appropriate. So the defensive player should not be able to touch the offensive player when she stretches out her arms.

The duration of the drill occurs in an area as wide as the painted area of the court. This area will extend until the half court. You can utilize the painted area until the free throw line and then you will need to line up cones on both sides extending until half court. Players are not allowed to go outside this area until they reach half court.

The aim of the drill is for the defensive player to turn the offensive player two times before coming to half court. The offensive player is simply trying to get by the defensive player as quickly as possible and with straight line drives.

The defensive player should be cognizant of the boundary area and concentrate on placing her foot on the line. This will negate the opportunity for the offensive player to dribble up the line.

After placing her foot on the line, the defensive player needs to quickly shift her hips and feet in an angled position, forcing the offensive player to the next line. It is essential that her stance stays low and on balanced at all times.

It is important the defensive player doesn’t open up her stance too much allowing straight line drives to the offensive player.

There is a wrinkle to this drill. The defensive player is not allowed to use her hands during the drill. Hands are interlaced behind the back. She needs to focus on staying low and using quick feet as well as bodying the offensive player with her chest when trying to turn the offensive player. So she uses her feet and her body to force the offensive player the other direction.

Once the players get to the half court position it is a live one-on-one situation where the offensive player has five dribbles to score and the defensive player can use her hands again.

This is an offensive drill as well. It is important that offensive players use quick change of direction moves as well as attacking the defender with north-south dribbling and not east-west dribbling.